FOUR local councils have unveiled plans to team up and deliver public services – a partnership they claim will save £55m over 10 years.

The '2020 Vision for Joint Working' involves the district councils of Cotswold, Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire, as well as Cheltenham Borough Council.

Under the proposals, the four independent councils would determine their own policies, priorities and decisions supported by a small number of expert advisors.

Those advisors would then commission and monitor services, either from the private and voluntary sectors or from local authority-owned service delivery companies.

The proposals are being considered by each council's cabinet.

If approved, the four authorities would establish a jointly-owned local authority company to provide the services required by each individual council.

The move is expected to save in excess of £55m over 10 years. It comes in response to continued financial pressures on local authority budgets.

The plan aims protect frontline services, while enabling each council to remain as an independent authority with their own elected councillors representing local people.

Lynden Stowe, leader of Cotswold District Council, said: "The proposition set out in this report represents perhaps the most radical joint working approach in local government today."

Councillor Stowe said the document sought to address the challenge a smaller and reducing public subsidy while making the best use of technology.

It would also enable councils to encourage and use a competitive market, while making smart use of managerial and other expertise, he added.

The proposals should also be seen as a natural and logical progression along an innovative transformational agenda which the councils had delivered over recent years.

"We should take great encouragement from what has already been achieved."

Patrick Molyneux, leader of Forest of Dean District Council, said amalgamating the support services of four councils would reduce operating costs and increase efficiencies.

"We can spend a bigger proportion of our budget on delivering the frontline services our communities need, while keeping the democratic decision making of local councillors intact."

Barry Norton, leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said councils already had a track record of developing innovative arrangements irrespective of boundaries.

He added: "This approach builds on that firm foundation and provides a very strong basis to support a new model for local government."

The model developed by the four councils was scalable both in terms of numbers of partners but also in the scope of services, said councillor Norton.

Steve Jordan, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, said services currently shared by the councils had enabled a strong degree of trust and confidence between the four partners.

"It seems both timely and logical to build on these strong foundations and plan for further joint working arrangements with existing partners.

"Importantly, these arrangements would ensure councils retain independent decision making that reflects local needs."